While we loved fiction in 2010, it’s the year’s non-fiction books that gave us a chance to really spread out and move from drunken adventures across Europe on justification as to why we didn’t continue our studies in Russian literature on an academic level.

1. And The Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman

It may have not been the most inspiring year for America, but Ms. Kalman’s book of drawings made us want to revisit everything that is truly great about this country.  One of the most beautiful books to come out in a long time.

2. Everything Is Going to Be Great: An Underfunded and Overexposed European Grand Tour by Rachel Shukert

I think we may have gotten a little ahead of ourselves when we said this was the funniest book of the year, considering it had just come out.

Thank goodness for end of year lists where we can look back and say we were right.

3. The Possessed by Elif Batuman

If you ever thought you wanted to study Russian writers like Isaac Babel or Tolstoy for a living, read this amazing book first.

4. How did you get This Number by Sloane Crosley

2010 might not be remembered as the year that Sloane Crosley bucked the “sophomore slump” label, but it really should be.  Nearly as funny as I was Told There’d Be Cake, and much more confident.

5. Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution by Sara Marcus

Of all of the revolutions to bubble up out of the musical underground in the 1990s, the Riot Grrrl movement was the one whose voice was the loudest, and who had the biggest and arguably most important impact.  Sara Marcus spared no detail in this account, and it deserves your attention.

6. When They Come for Us, We’ll Be Gone by Gal Beckerman

A work that was enjoyable to read, and of the utmost importance.  The world owes Mr. Beckerman a thanks for making this amazing book happen.

7. I Don’t Care About Your Band: What I Learned from Indie Rockers, Trust Funders, Pornographers, Felons, Faux-Sensitive Hipsters, and Other Guys I’ve Dated by Julie Klausner

Since the Sex and the City and the creepy culture it seems to have created is slowly going the way of the dinosaur, we vote for Julie Klausner’s book to become the new handbook to teach people exactly how bloody the dating battlefield of New York has become.

8. And the Heart Says Whatever by Emily Gould

We hereby enact a law stating that no longer should Emily Gould be known as the ex-Gawker writer who had the cover story in the New York Times Magazine.  She shall now be recognized as the clever memoirist who knows that nobody is innocent–including herself–and it’s all thanks to this superb memoir.

9. Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian by Avi Steinberg

We like anybody who works in a prison library for two years.  If they can write a memoir as good as this one about it, we like them even more.

10. Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) with Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines and Anecdotes by Stephen Sondheim

I don’t feel like we really need to give any reasons for why this is on the list.

Also of note: Listen to This by Alex Ross, The Road by Vasily Grossman, Half Empty by David Rakoff,

The post Jewcy’s Top 10 Non-Fiction Books Of 2010 appeared first on Jewcy.

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and not because you get to dress like a floozy. But rather, because you get to eat a ton of candy. Not that you can’t eat a lot of candy the other 364 days of the year, but there’s something about candy pumpkins that aren’t really candy or pumpkin, but rather little orbs of sugary amazingness, that make me love this holiday.

More important, is finding the perfect costume. It’s like Cheri Oteri and Will Ferrell doing the “perfect cheer” for the chess tournament. But instead, you need the perfect ensemble to outshine every other skank and get that boy of your dreams, even if he’s your cousin (ew Gretchen Weiners. But snaps on the Hanukkah plug.)

Here is some FFJD advice for finding the perfect combination of latex, spandex, and hotness.

1. Don’t skimp on showing the Perfect Amount of Skin.

Yes, on Halloween you can dress like a ho and get away with it. I’m not sure why chicks have run with this, especially because it’s always freezing on October 31. But, on Halloween you get to dress like you belong at Scores or as a Coyote Ugly extra and it’s completely socially accepted. (I’m glad I just looked up the Scores website. I am digging the muzak.)

However, you need to draw the line somewhere. You want your outfit to say “come hither” and not “put dollar bills in my g-string.” Slutty priest: yes, and points for irony, slutty devil: no. Devils, angels, angely devils, and devils angels are off limits, because that is the easiest and dumbest thing to be. This also goes for cats, mice, leopards, or cheetahs. And maybe zebras.

2. Attempt To Be Somewhat Clever.

Sometimes it’s fun, in addition to wearing the teeny weeny slutty sailor shorts and little hat (unless you’re like me, and your head is too big for standard Halloween costumes, sigh), to be clever with your costume. And yes, I’ve seen the whole “Freudian Slip” idea before. Points for timeliness, relevance, and originality.

3. Don’t Choose Something Too Obscure Or Meta.

I’m not so happy that my unabashed idol Sloane Crosley is going as “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.” Sometimes, if you go too obscure, it’s bad. Or in this case, you’ve given yourself the burden of trying to figure out how to fashion a dog out of lint.

Also – boys won’t really get obscure costumes, they just want to see your belly button. So, just depends on your priorities. I was tossing around the idea of Taylor Momsen (and I’d need to find heels that allow me to put tips in them) but mostly I asked a few guy friends and they had no idea what I was talking about.

You’re walking the line between hilarious meme and total confusion. I.E., no weird stuff that nobody gets, because you don’t want to have to explain over the din of Deadmau5 at whatever club you’re at or in between handfuls of mini kit-kats that you’re actually Steve Colbert’s one slightly-curved ear. (Did you know it rendered him deaf in one ear?) Anyway, it’s just too inside.

4. Something You Can Pee In.  (Or Out Of…)

This is crucial for both boys and girls. If you’re wearing a latex body suit that you could only wrench on in the horizontal position, with the help of two friends and the pizza guy down the street, it’s gonna suck when you’re three vodka sodas in. If you’re a guy and wearing some giant bear costume, it’s also hard.

So, just consider that.

5. Something that can be easily removed.

In the same vein, let’s say you, Katy Perry on a cloud on the cover of Teenage Dream really hits it off with that paralegal from University of Chicago dressed as Elmo. Which would be totally fitting.

Just keep in mind Elmo doesn’t have opposable thumbs.

What are you going to be this Halloween? Put your ideas in the comments!

Follow FFJD on Twitter and submit your Halloween or other shameful/awesome date story to fiftyfirstjdates@gmail.com.

The post Fifty First (J) Dates: A Primer To (Witch)Crafting the Perfect Halloween Get-Up appeared first on Jewcy.